Training course "Molecular markers"

The training course is organised by the Central Laboratory of General Ecology of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (CLGE-BAS) (now part of the IBER-BAS) with the financial support of the project WETLANET.

The training course aims to promote recent classical, molecular and biochemical methods applied in eco-toxicological studies of wetlands, to enhance the research collaborations and the possibilities to exchange visits of young scientists and PhD students, that can improve their methodological skills. Another task of the course was to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and to establish new scientific contacts envisaging further  research collaborations via joint research projects.

The main topics of the training course are as follows:

• basic classical methods applied in eco-toxicology
• molecular and biochemical markers used for gene-toxic screening, monitoring and biodiversity assessment

The training course was targeted to the scientific community, the national and local authorities and to stakeholders interested in molecular and biochemical markers used in eco-toxicological studies.

Prominent specialists in eco-toxycology were invited as lecturers and leaders of the practical sessions: four specialists from the National Institute of Genetic Resources (INETI), Portugal Dr. José Antonio Matos, Dr. Fernanda Simões, Dr. Paula Sá- Pereira and Diogo de Mendonça; three experts from LNEG, Portugal Dr Ana Picado, Dr. Elsa Mendonça and Susana Paixão, and one from Institute of Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences Dr. Nadezhda Yurina. Lecturers from Bulgaria were Prof. Aglika Edreva from the Institute of Genetics, BAS, Dr. Galina Satchanska from the New Bulgarian University and Dr S. Chankova from the CLGE-BAS.

Participants in the course were twenty three including students, PhD students and young scientists from the Sofia State University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Institute of Oceanology-BAS, Varna, Institute of Zoology-BAS, Institute of Botany-BAS, CLGE-BAS and the New Bulgarian University.

The programme of the training course included 13 lectures and 7 practical exercises. Teachers had the opportunity to transfer experience and knowledge to the young participants in the course who gained basic theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the area of molecular eco-toxicology, genotoxic screening, monitoring and also risk assessment of biodiversity. After each session very useful discussions were carried out. Many issues concerning the use of these methods in the further work of the young researchers were clarified.

At the end of the course, all young participants received certificates and discs, including lecture presentations, protocols of the practicals and numerous photos of the event. All course attendees presented their appreciation for the high level of the organisation of the event. They express great satisfaction for the opportunity to improve their knowledge in the field of eco-toxicology of wetlands, and to establish new research contacts.

Some photos from the event are presented here.